Thursday, November 30, 2023
Monday, November 27, 2023
The The "Heartland" (official video)
Beneath the old iron bridges, across the Victorian parks
And all the frightened people running home before dark
Past the Saturday morning cinema that lies crumbling to the ground
And the piss-stinking shopping center in the new side of town
I've come to smell the seasons change and watch the city
As the sun goes down again
Here comes another winter of long shadows and high hopes
Here comes another winter waiting for utopia
Waiting for hell to freeze over
This is the land where nothing changes
The land of red buses and blue blooded babies
This is the place, where pensioners are raped
And the hearts are being cut from the welfare state
Let the poor drink the milk while the rich eat the honey
Let the bums count their blessings while they count the money
So many people can't express what's on their minds
Nobody knows them and nobody ever will
Until their backs are broken and their dreams are stolen
And they can't get what they want then they're gonna get angry
Well it ain't written in the papers, but it's written on the walls
The way this country is divided to fall
So the cranes are moving on the skyline
Trying to knock down this town
But the stains on the heartland, can never be removed
From this country that's sick, sad, and confused
Here comes another winter of long shadows and high hopes
Here comes another winter waitin' for utopia
Waitin' for hell to freeze over
The ammunition's being passed and the lords been praised
But the wars on the televisions will never be explained
All the bankers gettin' sweaty beneath their white collars
As the pound in our pocket turns into a dollar
This is the 51st state of the U.S.A.
This is the 51st state of the U.S.A.
This is the 51st state of the U.S.A.
Friday, November 24, 2023
Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Monday, November 20, 2023
What is the most romantic thing someone said or did to you?
[Answered on Quora.com by Audrey Lewis]
A close friend of mine shared a story that always warms my heart. She had been going through a tough time, dealing with the stress of her job and personal life. One evening, feeling particularly down, she decided to take a long walk to clear her head. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the time and soon found herself in a part of town she wasn't familiar with, after dark.
Just as she started to feel uneasy, she noticed someone approaching her. It was a colleague from her office, someone she'd only spoken to in passing. He had seen her walking and, concerned for her safety, decided to follow at a distance to make sure she was okay. When he caught up to her, instead of just offering a ride home, he suggested they grab a cup of coffee at a nearby café.
They ended up talking for hours. He listened to her troubles, shared some of his own, and offered a comforting perspective that helped her see things in a different light. It wasn't a grand gesture or a dramatic declaration of love; it was a simple act of kindness and empathy at a moment when she needed it the most.
Years later, they're happily married. She always recalls that night as the moment she realized she'd found someone truly special. Someone who, without even knowing her well, showed her kindness and compassion when she needed it most. She often says it was the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for her, not because it was extravagant, but because it was genuine and heartfelt.
A close friend of mine shared a story that always warms my heart. She had been going through a tough time, dealing with the stress of her job and personal life. One evening, feeling particularly down, she decided to take a long walk to clear her head. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the time and soon found herself in a part of town she wasn't familiar with, after dark.
Just as she started to feel uneasy, she noticed someone approaching her. It was a colleague from her office, someone she'd only spoken to in passing. He had seen her walking and, concerned for her safety, decided to follow at a distance to make sure she was okay. When he caught up to her, instead of just offering a ride home, he suggested they grab a cup of coffee at a nearby café.
They ended up talking for hours. He listened to her troubles, shared some of his own, and offered a comforting perspective that helped her see things in a different light. It wasn't a grand gesture or a dramatic declaration of love; it was a simple act of kindness and empathy at a moment when she needed it the most.
Years later, they're happily married. She always recalls that night as the moment she realized she'd found someone truly special. Someone who, without even knowing her well, showed her kindness and compassion when she needed it most. She often says it was the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for her, not because it was extravagant, but because it was genuine and heartfelt.
Sunday, November 19, 2023
Triumvirat "Old Loves Die Hard" (full album)
What was the funniest thing you've heard a parrot say?
[Answered on Quora.com by Courtney Ballard]
Our little Quaker Parrot, Chip, came to us second-hand. We don't know where he lived before or who he learned to talk from.
He just sort of ... showed up one day, and became part of the family.
He was quiet at first, only the occasional CHIRP to let us know he could make noise. Then one day as I was petting him, I heard him muttering 'itsokayitsokayitsokay ...’
... and once those first words were out of his beak, it was like the floodgates opened, and for the next 11 years he didn't shut up. Mostly unintelligible squawking, but every day started with him shouting GOODMORNING and every evening saw IWANNGONITENITE as the sun went down. Opening the door onto the screen porch prompted WANNAGOoutSIIDE and when he was ready to come back in we were treated to GoinnaHOUSE.
During school — my wife homeschooled both our kids — he'd sing his version of ‘Old MacDonald’ or mutter under his breath as if mocking anyone doing math. When we read Shakespeare he’d squawk along as if part of the cast.
When we gave him treats, he’d say YUM YUM or S’GOOD, and when you came home after a long absense, he’d shout HEY DARLIN!! as you walked through the door.
One day, when the kids were very young, one of them threw a tantrum. A real floor-shaker. It was all my loving wife could do to get it calmed down, and as she made her way up the hallway from putting both kids in their rooms for a rest, into the now-quiet living room, Chip shouted “…WANNA BEER?” She called me practically in tears, laughing.
Saturday, November 18, 2023
What should parents stop teaching their children?
[Answered on Quora.com by Vee Dattilio]
I have two things:
1. Sharing is caring. When your child has a little snack or they rock up to the playground with a new toy, they’re immediately bombarded by other kids demanding they share. Share your nice snack, share your new toy. While sharing is important, it shouldn’t be a law. A child shouldn’t be forced to give something of their up for other kids to take, use, and possibly break against their will. With school property, sure, this is fine. But really, I think the rule should be “Sharing is caring but you’re allowed to say no.”
2. You have no control over your own body. When I was a child, my dad taught my brothers and me that if someone said stop, we stop. This was mostly used for tickling. Even if it was our parents or grandparents who were doing that, the second we said stop it stopped. If we didn’t want to hug or kiss someone, it was up to us who got to touch our bodies and we were allowed to say no. If something was happening to our bodies and we didn’t like it, if someone was touching us and we didn’t want them to, we said stop and it would stop (excluding the doctor.) Consent matters. Even if it’s a child who doesn’t want to hug grandma, they deserve to have a say in who touches their body. I can’t imagine raising a child and forcing them into invasive physical contact explicitly against their will. What, does this sound like soft parenting for my dad? Touching someone when they said “stop” or “no” is as unthinkable to my brothers and me as cannibalism. He didn’t even apply the concept to sexual assault until we were in our teen years but the second he did, we accepted it. Because we knew that when someone said stop, we stopped. And that no one should continue to touch us even after we said stop. If we were all raised like that, I hazard to guess society would be a better place. Stop forcing your kids to let people touch them.
I have two things:
1. Sharing is caring. When your child has a little snack or they rock up to the playground with a new toy, they’re immediately bombarded by other kids demanding they share. Share your nice snack, share your new toy. While sharing is important, it shouldn’t be a law. A child shouldn’t be forced to give something of their up for other kids to take, use, and possibly break against their will. With school property, sure, this is fine. But really, I think the rule should be “Sharing is caring but you’re allowed to say no.”
2. You have no control over your own body. When I was a child, my dad taught my brothers and me that if someone said stop, we stop. This was mostly used for tickling. Even if it was our parents or grandparents who were doing that, the second we said stop it stopped. If we didn’t want to hug or kiss someone, it was up to us who got to touch our bodies and we were allowed to say no. If something was happening to our bodies and we didn’t like it, if someone was touching us and we didn’t want them to, we said stop and it would stop (excluding the doctor.) Consent matters. Even if it’s a child who doesn’t want to hug grandma, they deserve to have a say in who touches their body. I can’t imagine raising a child and forcing them into invasive physical contact explicitly against their will. What, does this sound like soft parenting for my dad? Touching someone when they said “stop” or “no” is as unthinkable to my brothers and me as cannibalism. He didn’t even apply the concept to sexual assault until we were in our teen years but the second he did, we accepted it. Because we knew that when someone said stop, we stopped. And that no one should continue to touch us even after we said stop. If we were all raised like that, I hazard to guess society would be a better place. Stop forcing your kids to let people touch them.
Friday, November 17, 2023
Wednesday, November 15, 2023
Monday, November 13, 2023
What is the best way to respond when somebody tells you that they're not happy because of something that happened in the past?
[Answered on Quora.com by Ashes to Ashcraft]
While it is good practice to try and bring up your grievances in the moment, whenever one can, this is not always possible.
Have you ever heard that hindsight is 20/20? Sometimes someone needs time to reflect on what happened, or what was said, to know how they truly feel about it.
Sometimes the setting of a particular event influences the reaction someone had in the moment. For example, if you caught someone while they were in the middle of a huge, public meeting, or if they were in the midst of another very important and preoccupying thing, or perhaps they are just emotionally/physically at a limit. In such influential settings, people may react out of character, later reflect, and realize upon reflection that they are more hurt than they initially thought/reacted.
Sometimes people don't feel safe to admit their pain in the moment. Perhaps they are scared of admitting their feelings honesty and openly. Perhaps the people around at the time weren't a good crowd to bring this up to. Perhaps they worry that others will think their feelings are stupid or meaningless, and this person lacked confidence that they're trying to gain back by bringing it up now.
Think about yourself, for example. Everyone has that one memory that they reflect on with embarrassment, or that they cringe at, or that still haunts them in some capacity. You have to be sincerely privileged or incredibly naive to think back on your life and have nothing that stuck with you painfully at all whatsoever. I mean, if I asked you if anything painful happened to you in your life, you're not really telling me that you don't have one or two painful/traumatizing/spooky scary memories that come to the forefront of your mind? I don't buy that.
[Answered on Quora.com by Bonnie Sawyer]
First off, tell them it is understandable that the situation made them unhappy. Then maybe give an example and describe how a similiar situation in your own past made you unhappy. Then move on, saying what you learned by it, and how you have become a wiser person from it, and how you have grown from it.
You have learned to let go, because these things happen, and may happen again. But it doesn’t need to forever rob you of feeling happiness in your life. Remember things happen in our lives that we have no control over, but it doesn’t reflect on ourselves, as long as we rise above it and move on. Be the best person you can be and love yourself for it.
While it is good practice to try and bring up your grievances in the moment, whenever one can, this is not always possible.
Have you ever heard that hindsight is 20/20? Sometimes someone needs time to reflect on what happened, or what was said, to know how they truly feel about it.
Sometimes the setting of a particular event influences the reaction someone had in the moment. For example, if you caught someone while they were in the middle of a huge, public meeting, or if they were in the midst of another very important and preoccupying thing, or perhaps they are just emotionally/physically at a limit. In such influential settings, people may react out of character, later reflect, and realize upon reflection that they are more hurt than they initially thought/reacted.
Sometimes people don't feel safe to admit their pain in the moment. Perhaps they are scared of admitting their feelings honesty and openly. Perhaps the people around at the time weren't a good crowd to bring this up to. Perhaps they worry that others will think their feelings are stupid or meaningless, and this person lacked confidence that they're trying to gain back by bringing it up now.
Think about yourself, for example. Everyone has that one memory that they reflect on with embarrassment, or that they cringe at, or that still haunts them in some capacity. You have to be sincerely privileged or incredibly naive to think back on your life and have nothing that stuck with you painfully at all whatsoever. I mean, if I asked you if anything painful happened to you in your life, you're not really telling me that you don't have one or two painful/traumatizing/spooky scary memories that come to the forefront of your mind? I don't buy that.
[Answered on Quora.com by Bonnie Sawyer]
First off, tell them it is understandable that the situation made them unhappy. Then maybe give an example and describe how a similiar situation in your own past made you unhappy. Then move on, saying what you learned by it, and how you have become a wiser person from it, and how you have grown from it.
You have learned to let go, because these things happen, and may happen again. But it doesn’t need to forever rob you of feeling happiness in your life. Remember things happen in our lives that we have no control over, but it doesn’t reflect on ourselves, as long as we rise above it and move on. Be the best person you can be and love yourself for it.
Sunday, November 12, 2023
How do I impress my boss?
[Answered on Quora.com by Blue]
This is something I learned very early in my career. I always feel thankful for my former boss who taught me this lesson.
How to ask questions.
The first day I joined the company, after handing me all my personal devices and necessary office items, he led me to my cubicle and told me to self-study the system and come back to him by the end of the working day with questions. So I did. I brought back my two-page-long questionnaire and handed it to him. He read it, then told me to sit down. “Alright, question one, ‘What does (feature) x do?’”, he read my question out loud, “What do you think it does?”, he asked. I answered him with the thoughts I gathered when I studied the system. “Correct!”, he said, “Now, you see, with the way you first asked the question, if I answered it, it would have taken me five minutes to answer, but if you had asked ‘Does x do this’ including what you’ve learned, it would take me just seconds to answer ‘Correct!’ and I also would know that you actually studied and understood it. When you ask questions that you need answers to, make sure it takes the least time for the person you ask to answer. Yes/No is preferred.”
I took that advice seriously.
Instead of asking ‘What does that mean?’, I ask ‘Does that mean [my understanding]?’. Instead of ‘What should we do in this situation?’, I ask ‘In this situation, I propose the solution as below, do you have any directions or adjustments?’. Instead of ‘What time do you want the meeting to be?’, I ask ‘I checked your calendar, you have three open slots x, y, z; which one do you want to set up the meeting with Mr. A?’
This lesson has been a great help in my work, not just with my bosses, but also with other team members/ clients as well.
This is something I learned very early in my career. I always feel thankful for my former boss who taught me this lesson.
How to ask questions.
The first day I joined the company, after handing me all my personal devices and necessary office items, he led me to my cubicle and told me to self-study the system and come back to him by the end of the working day with questions. So I did. I brought back my two-page-long questionnaire and handed it to him. He read it, then told me to sit down. “Alright, question one, ‘What does (feature) x do?’”, he read my question out loud, “What do you think it does?”, he asked. I answered him with the thoughts I gathered when I studied the system. “Correct!”, he said, “Now, you see, with the way you first asked the question, if I answered it, it would have taken me five minutes to answer, but if you had asked ‘Does x do this’ including what you’ve learned, it would take me just seconds to answer ‘Correct!’ and I also would know that you actually studied and understood it. When you ask questions that you need answers to, make sure it takes the least time for the person you ask to answer. Yes/No is preferred.”
I took that advice seriously.
Instead of asking ‘What does that mean?’, I ask ‘Does that mean [my understanding]?’. Instead of ‘What should we do in this situation?’, I ask ‘In this situation, I propose the solution as below, do you have any directions or adjustments?’. Instead of ‘What time do you want the meeting to be?’, I ask ‘I checked your calendar, you have three open slots x, y, z; which one do you want to set up the meeting with Mr. A?’
This lesson has been a great help in my work, not just with my bosses, but also with other team members/ clients as well.
Saturday, November 11, 2023
What was the funniest thing that happened to you in college?
[Answered on Quora.com by Jeffy]
I had an exam on English when I was in college, around 19 years old. The night before, I had helped my sister prepare for her in-class essay with the same teacher in English. My sister had problems with the course, and I excelled, so my teacher suggested I help her.
Anyways, in the middle of my exam, my teacher walks up, and without thinking, says "Thank you for last night" and walks away. Everybody in the class looked up at me. It was the middle of an exam, so I couldn't explain - so I just sort of turned around to my friends, gave them the look - look and went back to the test.
I had an exam on English when I was in college, around 19 years old. The night before, I had helped my sister prepare for her in-class essay with the same teacher in English. My sister had problems with the course, and I excelled, so my teacher suggested I help her.
Anyways, in the middle of my exam, my teacher walks up, and without thinking, says "Thank you for last night" and walks away. Everybody in the class looked up at me. It was the middle of an exam, so I couldn't explain - so I just sort of turned around to my friends, gave them the look - look and went back to the test.
Thursday, November 9, 2023
What is the hidden meaning behind compliments that men give to women, and how should women respond to them in order to come across as polite and respectful?
[Answered on Quora.com by Myra Scott]
Women
Are
Not
Required
To
Be
Polite
and
Respectful
A compliment from a random man generally means "I want attention from you” - but you are not required to give it. A compliment is a cheap way to start a conversation, because most people like to hear something nice about themselves.
Women don’t have to respond in any specific way. Women did not ask for this compliment. Women are busy with other things and do not have to drop their current inner dialog to entertain some rando who wants attention.
A brief smile and a “thank you” is plenty. If they think they’ve now started a conversation, feel free to move, turn away or ignore.
Not too long ago, at a farmer’s market, a man came up to me and said, “I like your dress.” That was nice. I smiled back and said, “Thank you,” warmly then returned to my shopping. He hovered behind me and when I moved to the next booth, so did he.
“So, you here alone today?” he asked.
I said, “No,” and moved to the next booth. No smiles.
“Who are you here with?” I didn’t answer or turn around. I wasn’t shopping now, I was trying to get away from him.
“Wait, do you want to go get coffee with me?” he was still trailing me.
“I don’t.” I was walking faster now and he was keeping up.
“Why not?” he asked. I stopped and turned around. He looked like a puppy I had kicked in the face but you know what? I didn’t ask for this.
“Because I don’t. Stop following me.”
“But if you’d just give me a chance ... let me buy you a coffee ...”
At that point, I left. Quickly, before he could see where I went. Morning at the farmer’s market cut short. Because some dumbass thought a compliment meant I was supposed to give up the rest of my morning to entertain him. And he literally chased me as I tried to avoid him.
What he did was make me feel unsafe because he wouldn’t accept no. And I haven’t been back to that farmer’s market since.
Women
Are
Not
Required
To
Be
Polite
and
Respectful
A compliment from a random man generally means "I want attention from you” - but you are not required to give it. A compliment is a cheap way to start a conversation, because most people like to hear something nice about themselves.
Women don’t have to respond in any specific way. Women did not ask for this compliment. Women are busy with other things and do not have to drop their current inner dialog to entertain some rando who wants attention.
A brief smile and a “thank you” is plenty. If they think they’ve now started a conversation, feel free to move, turn away or ignore.
Not too long ago, at a farmer’s market, a man came up to me and said, “I like your dress.” That was nice. I smiled back and said, “Thank you,” warmly then returned to my shopping. He hovered behind me and when I moved to the next booth, so did he.
“So, you here alone today?” he asked.
I said, “No,” and moved to the next booth. No smiles.
“Who are you here with?” I didn’t answer or turn around. I wasn’t shopping now, I was trying to get away from him.
“Wait, do you want to go get coffee with me?” he was still trailing me.
“I don’t.” I was walking faster now and he was keeping up.
“Why not?” he asked. I stopped and turned around. He looked like a puppy I had kicked in the face but you know what? I didn’t ask for this.
“Because I don’t. Stop following me.”
“But if you’d just give me a chance ... let me buy you a coffee ...”
At that point, I left. Quickly, before he could see where I went. Morning at the farmer’s market cut short. Because some dumbass thought a compliment meant I was supposed to give up the rest of my morning to entertain him. And he literally chased me as I tried to avoid him.
What he did was make me feel unsafe because he wouldn’t accept no. And I haven’t been back to that farmer’s market since.
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